Well obviously! 
American Adaptations Page 3
Has anyone seen "Payne" or "Amanda's By The Sea" - two of the American attempts at a "Fawlty Towers" style show? I have only seen "Payne" with John Laroquette as Royal Payne - owner of a Californian bed and breakfast kind of arrangement. He has a flambouyant wife, an Indian bellhop and a sensible maid - so quite similar. The main difference was the sense that the Payne's antogonism tuned them on, not like Basil and Sybil. It had a few laughs and was very updated, but lacked the aggression, frustration and anarchy that made "Fawlty Towers" so great. The format is quite different in "Amanda's by the Sea" - with Beatrice Arthur playing the acid tongued Amanda - who has elements of both Basil and Sybil. I have not seen this, except for a very short clip. I would like to as I am fond of Arthur's work.
My personal favourite "Absolutely Fabulous" has never been directly remade, although several shows have been obviously influenced by its format and have many similarities. Roseanne was not able to get her remake up in the nineties, but the final season of her show saw the Conners win a lottery and become wealthy. Roseanne and Jackie went several self-indulgent and extravagant adventures like edina and Patsy - with the original English Edina and Patsy even putting in a guest appearance to highlight the similarities. "High Society" was about a flambouyant publisher with a conservative son and a booze swiling, man eating best friend who was a romance novelist - the similarities were obvious. "Cybill" has been sighted as being quite similar - with the middle aged hippy/feminist Cybill, alcoholic fashion plate best friend Maryanne and Cybill's frequently embarrassed daughters. There was a lot more warmth here, though, and the similarities were not intended. I would be keen to see the unreleased pilot for the cancelled American series of "Absolutely Fabulous made last year - the latest attempt.
Funny thing - I always thought that "Worst Week" seemed like an English riff on the "Mett the Parents" franchise, but I found it funnier. I have not seen the American remake of that one - but have heard it is not good.
The American "Kath and Kim" changed the format of the Australian one (which I love) - it did not feel as much like sketch comedy/parody, but a more realistic contemporary sitcom along the lines of several other recent American shows. They had the right people involved, I just think that they didn't actually adapt it enough for the American setting and what they wanted to do with it. The kind of puns, mispronounciations and misquotings that worked in the Australian one don't seem to do as much for the American version.
Since the last post - I have seen "Amanda's by the Sea" - one of the American adaptations of "Fawlty Towers". Bea Arthur is a delight as Amanda Cartwright - the acid tongued owner of a bead and breakfast. Imagine crossing Basil Fawlty with Dorothy from "The Golden Girls". She rude, sarcastic and judgemental towards the guests and domineering of her staff.
Her foreign belhop - Aldo - is the Manuel character and, like Manuel, is the incompetent roped into her schemes. Also like Manuel, he is treated with cruelty - even physical violence, by Amanda.
There are no opposite numbers for Sybil and Polly - and Amanda seems to incorporate elements of both Basil and Sybil - but Amanda's son and daughter in law feature as the family that help her to run the establishment. Her son, Marty, is domineered by his mother and his wife, Arlene, is treated with contempt. There is also a laid back chef who provides a foil for Amanda's mania.
The show is a delight, different enough from the original to avoid negative comparisons, but with a central 'sitcom monster' that is a joy to watch.
Quote: ToddB @ January 29 2012, 2:09 AM GMTBea Arthur is a delight as Amanda Cartwright
She's been dead for quite some time, so I assume it's an older show that just found its way down under. I haven't heard of it.
It is from the early eighties.
The slapstick isn't as extreme as that of "Fawlty Towers" - but there is still plenty of it.
Amanda is sometimes well meaning, but she is so imperious and arrogant that she misses what is really going on with the people around her - and a lot of comedy comes from incorrect assumptions that she makes - and then takes action on in he cantankerous way - much like Basil Fawlty.
